Police in Solomon Islands say they will be approaching the environment ministry to discuss the dangers posed by a growing crocodile population.
A saltwater crocodile caught in Solomon Islands. 23/11/2010 Photo: RAMSI gallery/Solomon Islands Govt
Crocodiles are a protected species and gun controls introduced in 2003 have allowed the population to flourish.
The director of the recently-rearmed police response department, Stanley Riolo, said they were called to crocodile-related incidents at least twice a month.
Solomon Islands' police have been rearmed with standard police issue sidearms and shotguns as well as several Remington 700 bolt-action rifles for "crocodile destruction." Photo: Solomon Islands Police Media
Until recently, the Australian-led Regional Assitance Mission would respond to callouts, but they left in June.
RAMSI Pariticipating Police officers laying out crocodile traps in Solomon Islands. 25/10/2013 Photo: RAMSI gallery/Solomon Islands Govt
Mr Riolo said that now RAMSI was gone, he wanted to reach a long-term solution with the environment ministry.
"We will need to discuss this with the ministry responsible so that we will work together with that ministry so that we will have a plan in place to actually attend to incidents so that they actually give us the power to actually respond to these calls," said Stanley Riolo.